Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

बहुधोपासका यस्मात्तमः सत्त्वरजोन्विताः । गणभेदेन तान्येव नामानि बहुधाऽभवत्

Transliteration

bahudhopāsakā yasmāttamaḥ sattvarajonvitāḥ | gaṇabhedena tānyeva nāmāni bahudhā'bhavat

Translation

வழிபடுவோர் தமஸ், சத்த்வம், ரஜஸ் ஆகிய குணங்களால் பலவகையினர்; ஆகவே கணங்களின் வேறுபாட்டின்படி அதே தெய்வரூபத்திற்கே பல பெயர்கள் ஏற்பட்டன.

Word by Word

• बहुधा: in many ways
• बहुधा: Kriya-visheshana (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'in many ways')

• उपासकाः: worshippers
• उपासकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपासक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यस्मात्: because of which/whence
• यस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे

• तमः: darkness, tamas
• तमः: Karta (Apposition/subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सत्त्व: sattva
• सत्त्व: Samasa-anga (compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• रजः: rajas
• रजः: Samasa-anga (compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• अन्विताः: endowed with, possessed of
• अन्विताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; उपासकाः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• गणभेदेन: by the division of groups/sects
• गणभेदेन: Karana (Means/criterion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + भेद (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गणस्य भेदः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तानि: those
• तानि: Visheshya-nirdeshaka (Demonstrative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; नामानि इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Emphasis particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• नामानि: names
• नामानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बहुधा: in many ways
• बहुधा: Kriya-visheshana (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

• अभवत्: became, came to be
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Maheśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three groups of devotees—tāmasika, rājasika, sāttvika—approach Gaṇeśa with different styles of offerings and demeanor, yet the same deity presides, indicating unity-in-diversity.

Characters & Entities

• Tamas
• Sattva
• Rajas
• Gaṇa (groups)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Diversity in names and practices reflects diversity in human dispositions; dharma accommodates different temperaments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None explicitly; the verse provides a doctrinal explanation within the Kedārakhaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it explains why multiple names/forms of worship exist based on guṇas and communities.